The Great San Francisco Earthquake

After researching the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, I have come to know what life was like before and after the earthquake.

Before the earthquake, San Francisco was one of the largest and most important ports along the Pacific coast. It was the 9th largest city in the U.S. and it was home to millions of people. Skyscrapers and building were the work place for many who lived in that area. No one was expecting or was prepared to what the 60-year-old city was about to do.

On April 18, 1906 at about 5:30 in the morning disaster struck. An earthquake that could be felt from southern Oregon to South Los Angeles stretching to inland Nevada occurred. It lasted any where from 45 seconds to a minute, which comparing to other earthquakes is a very long time. Building immediately fell down and most caught on fire just seconds after the earthquake. The fire burned for 4 days and 3 nights. The fire department alarm system was destroyed and all forms of communication were lost and the city of San Francisco suffered. One of the hospitals was part way crumbled and more than 100 patients lost their lives. Not including the 300,000people that had died in trapped buildings or in the fire. More that 200 died elsewhere due to the cause of the earthquake. The after result of the earthquake resulted on more than 500,000,000 1906 dollars. Not to include that the San Francisco banks held more that a 1/3 of the nations gold supplies. The streets were covered with debris and any brick building was crumbled to the ground. More than 300 earthquake cracks were formed.

In conclusion, I learned that before the earthquake of 1906 occurred the people were NOT prepared at all for a natural disaster. Now a little over a century after the tragic event occurred we are well prepared for what will hit us next. But we will never forget the living memory of the great San Francisco earthquake that happened so long ago.
MR.5